More Amtrak cancellations on Friday

Amtrak said this afternoon that it will again cancel eight of its trains between Rensselaer and New York City as CSX Transportation continues repairs on the storm-damaged tracks and signals.

The trains to be canceled are the same as those canceled today. Amtrak will operate 18 other trains between the two cities, and Amtrak officials say they’ve been able to accommodate passengers on those trains.

The cancellations:

Southbound trains to be canceled are #230, which leaves Rensselaer at 5:10 a.m.; #234, a 6:55 a.m. departure; #238, which leaves at 12:05 p.m., and #242, which leaves at 3:15 p.m. All other southbound trains will operate.

Northbound trains that are canceled are #233, which is scheduled to leave Penn Station at 11:45 a.m.; #235, scheduled to leave at 2:15 p.m.; #237, scheduled to leave at 4:40 p.m.; and #243, which leaves at 8:50 p.m. The remaining northbound trains are scheduled to operate.

Power outages along Amtrak’s line between Albany-Rensselaer and Poughkeepsie on Wednesday delayed some trains and forced the cancellation of others, according to Amtrak and passengers.

On Thursday, another storm, which dumped snow south of Kingston and heavy rain north, struck the area through which the CSX tracks pass. CSX officials couldn’t immediately be reached for comment on the extent of the damage or how long it would take to repair it, and calls to Amtrak weren’t returned.

WE need a network of options for trains. Then we would have more options when one track has trouble. As Amtrak is a monopoly, then there aren’t enough options. The government should make auto travel as expensive as train travel and so give train companies more of an incentive to offer passenger service. The government could lower the gas taxes in that area so the net effect would be neutral to the economy. It also should open inter city passenger rail legally to anyone who wants to do it, not just Amtrak.

#2, Amtrak does not control the tracks, the tracks are owned and regulated by CSX. Freight aways has the right of way.I am sure the govetnment would LOVE to get out of the train passenger business, but I don’t see an awful lot of people lining up to establish competing rail lines. I love Amtrak and have always supported it, but the realities of public transportation are gruesome in USA.